The Perceived Gameful Experience of Undergraduate Nursing Students Engaged in a Virtual Interactive Puzzle Escape Room Focusing on a Complex Clinical Intervention

Abstract

Background: With the increased emphasis on technology-based education, in-person educational escape room puzzles are gaining popularity in higher education. In response to challenges in delivering quality education within the virtual environment, the need to expand learning opportunities within the digital environment has never been greater. Methods: The purpose of this study is to investigate nursing students’ experience using gamification Virtual Interactive Puzzle Escape Room (VIPER), which incorporates tasks of medication calculations and safe blood transfusion procedures. Using a quasi-experimental explanatory post-test design, the sample consisted of (N=52) third-year nursing students enrolled in a medical-surgical nursing course from Ottawa, Ontario. The reliable and validated GAMEX tool was used to assess the gameful experience of the VIPER. A secondary question identified if age of participants influence their gameful experience scores. Results: Participants perceived VIPER improved knowledge, skills and judgement and can be an effective educational modality to apply skills of medication calculations and reinforce the nursing skills in complex clinical interventions. Conclusions: By incorporating creative and engaging game elements into nursing education, educators can enhance the learning experience of nursing students and prepare them to provide high-quality patient care.